Video tutorial capturing basic design principles to assist high school student teams with their boat design entries for the apprentice school sname (society. If you have a poor design the boat will not be. hull design – basic rules to follow. boat hull. when you look at a boat, you have to remember that the hull is one of the most important parts . if you have a poor design the boat will not be stable, will not float or could lean to one side. the boat hull acts as a balancer for your boat so. Although sailboat design varies widely, all sailboats share a few basic components. the boat’s main body is called the hull. the front of the hull is referred to as the bow, while the rear of the hull is called the stern. the rudder extends from the stern and is used to steer the boat..